Chase Headley could become the first major test for the Padres’ new ownership.

When the O’Malley-Seidler-Fowler group was formally introduced at Petco Park as the Padres

new owners on Aug. 29, spokesman Ron Fowler said:

“We need to build a strong product on the field that will build fan support. Fire sales will not be part of how we do business. If we have good players who want to be here, we’ll try to keep them.”

Meet Chase Headley ...

Drafted in the second round of 2005, Headley is as homegrown as they come. And he’s always displayed loyalty to the Padres and expressed a desire to remain in San Diego.

Headley has never once mentioned what he might go elsewhere should he become a free agent after the 2014 season.

“I have always enjoyed playing for San Diego, I haven’t really ever given a thought about what it would be like to play for another team,” Headley said in July as rumors about his future in San Diego circulated as the trading deadline approached.

As we all know, Headley didn’t get traded. He went All-Star.

Over the final 57 games of the season, the 28-year-old switch-hitter batted .313 with 10 doubles, 19 homers, 44 runs scored and 63 RBI.

In two months he went from being a third baseman who might be replaced by prospect Jedd Gyorko down the road to the most identifiable Padres player since Adrian Gonzalez.

Headley became the type of marquee player Fowler was talking about.

He finished the season with a .286 average. He set career highs in hits (173), runs (95), home runs (31), walks (86), RBI, total bases (301), on-base percentage (.376) and slugging percentage (.498) and equaled career highs in games played (161), doubles (31) and steals (17).

Headley reached base via a hit, walk or hit-by-pitch in a franchise record 146 games, breaking Tony Gwynn’s record. Headley joined Dave Winfield (118 in 1979) as only the second Padres player to win the RBI title. He had more than 30 RBI in both August and September, becoming the first Padre to ever have more than one 30-RBI RBI month. The only other Padre ever to be named the National League Player of the Month consecutively was Ken Caminiti.

Plus, Headley is a solid defensive third baseman and a shrewd baserunner.

So, what is Chase Headley worth to the Padres?

And can they afford to keep him with a contract that extends beyond his free agent threshold?

The ball is in the Padres’ court. What do they do with Chase Headley?

The immediate answer is they don’t have to do anything. Although he is arbitration eligible, the Padres control Headley for two more seasons.

But while the Padres were extending the contracts of seven other players since spring training, Headley wasn’t approached.

Headley was not. And he did think about it. Why wasn’t he approached? Well, there was the Gyorko factor. Plus, given the fact that he is deep into arbitration, the Padres might have trouble coming up with a number that would suit both sides.

However, given the breakout season Headley just had, the Padres might have been pushed into a corner.

Headley made $3.475 million in 2012. Given his performance, his salary could double under arbitration.

But Quentin will make $9.5 million in 2013. Street will make $7 million. Looking back, Headley made less in 2013 than Jason Bartlett ($5.5 million plus a $1.5 million buyout on his 2013 contract) and Orlando Hudson ($5.25 million plus a $2 million buyout).

So, what is Headley’s worth?

And do the Padres just ride with one-year, arbitration-inspired contracts for the next two seasons or do they strike early and tie him up — which seems to be the goal set by the new owners.

Plus, there are some in the Padres front office who believe that, given the ceiling of Gyorko, this might still be the time to trade Headley. The argument is his value will never be higher and he might bring the type of mother lode that Mat Latos produced last winter.

Given the stance of the new owners on promoting from within, this doesn’t seem to be a likely option ... at the moment.

Padres notes

• Padres GM Josh Byrnes Thursday said the Padres are looking for a new bullpen coach. Jimmie Jones, who filled in for the late Darrel Akerfelds for the bulk of the 2012 season, will be returning to San Antonio as the Double-A pitching coach.